Immigration Law and Legal Insights

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed a substantial $103,000 fee for cap-subject H-1B visa petitions, potentially creating significant financial barriers for employers, particularly small businesses. Meanwhile, the Department of State has paused immigrant visa processing across 75 countries for consular officer training, following a federal court decision that vacated the Administration's previous suspension of immigrant visa issuance.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has begun issuing Requests for Evidence on H-2B visa petitions to examine past criminal matters involving foreign national workers, even for minor or old offenses. This emerging trend is leading to additional scrutiny, delays, and biometrics appointments that employers must be prepared to navigate.

El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos propone eliminar el período de gracia de 60 días que permite a trabajadores extranjeros con visas E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1 y TN permanecer legalmente en el país después de perder su empleo. Esta medida podría obligar a los trabajadores a salir inmediatamente o cambiar su estatus migratorio sin el tiempo adicional que actualmente tienen para buscar un nuevo empleador o preparar su salida.

Foreign nationals from treaty countries seeking to launch, buy, or actively run a U.S. business can explore the E-2 Treaty Investor visa, a flexible nonimmigrant option requiring substantial investment and active management. This comprehensive guide examines eligibility requirements, compares E-2 to EB-5 pathways, and outlines the application process from initial planning through visa issuance.

Over the past two weeks, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has transferred a large volume of pending EB-5-based Form I-485 adjustment of status applications from the California Service Center (CSC) to the Texas Service Center (TSC). Immediately following transfer, some applicants are receiving Requests for Evidence (RFEs) seeking Form I-693 medical examinations and providing 30 days to respond.

The September 2026 Visa Bulletin reveals critical changes for EB-5 investors, particularly those from India, as unreserved visa numbers become unavailable for the remainder of FY2026. While set-aside categories remain current across all countries, the bulletin warns of potential further retrogression and highlights the importance of understanding how country of chargeability and investment category selection impact visa availability and processing timelines.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed a substantial $103,000 fee for cap-subject H-1B visa petitions, potentially creating significant financial barriers for employers, particularly small businesses. Meanwhile, the Department of State has paused immigrant visa processing across 75 countries for consular officer training, following a federal court decision that vacated the Administration's previous suspension of immigrant visa issuance.

El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos propone eliminar el período de gracia de 60 días que permite a trabajadores extranjeros con visas E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1 y TN permanecer legalmente en el país después de perder su empleo. Esta medida podría obligar a los trabajadores a salir inmediatamente o cambiar su estatus migratorio sin el tiempo adicional que actualmente tienen para buscar un nuevo empleador o preparar su salida.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed eliminating the 60-day grace period that currently allows certain foreign workers to remain in the United States after their employment ends. This change would affect workers in E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1, and TN visa categories, as well as their dependent family members, requiring them to depart immediately or secure new status when employment terminates.